A vast amount of energy is consumed by modern civilization, forcing nations to expend considerable resources into conserving energy. The U.S. government encourages industries to produce energy efficient appliances and awarding an Energy Star designation to appliances that exceed industry efficiency averages. Yet, energy can be also conserved utilizing simple techniques and specially configured tools.
One large source of energy usage is cooking. Typically, a conventional cooking vessel (e.g., pots, pans, casseroles, etc.) is heated from a heat source such as a stove top burner which heats the bottom of the vessel. This in turn, cooks the contents therein. This heating process is somewhat inefficient when used with a standard pot or pan, because much of the heat escapes to the sides, between the cooking vessel and the burner, and into the atmosphere. All of these factors cause energy loss and make heating the vessel difficult. To avoid some heat loss, cooking vessels are manufactured from heat-conducting materials that heat up fast and maintain heat. However, such cooking vessels become dangerous as they get extremely hot, and the problem of heat loss into the atmosphere is not minimized.
Heat-conserving accessories are also available. For example, constricting rings, which are placed on the stove top and, are widely available. The ring collects and directs around the burner heat to the vessel located above the burner, which prevents heat from escaping to the sides. These accessories, however, can become hazardous since pressure tends to build up inside of them. In addition, these accessories are inefficient because they block oxygen from the burner flame and are difficult to configure for different types of stoves.
Other heat conserving accessories, such as heat distributing plates, are also known in the art. They are generally made of a single heat-conducting material or two layers of material with a hollow inner space which traps heat. The plates are placed between the cooking vessel and the stove burner to capture the heat and distribute it along the cooking vessel's bottom surface. These plates, however, take a considerable amount of time to cool off and are often made of heavy materials that are not ideal for easy maneuverability in a kitchen.
Accordingly, a need exists for a cooking accessory which improves the heating efficiency of stove tops, allowing cooking vessels to heat faster and save energy. Additionally, a need exists for a cooking accessory which is safely operable and user friendly.